How a $1.8 million grant will improve water supply for Hooversville residents

Beth Ann Miller and Madolin Edwards, The Daily American
·7 min read

HOOVERSVILLE ― A decades-long effort to replace the borough's municipal water system is almost complete.

Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger announced on Aug. 31 that nearly $3.5 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to ensure safe water and sewage systems was awarded to projects in three counties, including Somerset.

Among those three projects, Somerset County was awarded the largest amount, $1.8 million, for the Hooversville Borough Water System. For years, the borough's municipal water system has lost a significant amount – more than 50% – of its treated water because of widespread deterioration of its water distribution lines.

Water woes: Drought watch lifted for Somerset County, remains for 20 others

The borough has also contended with water quality and quantity issues for years, even before it began to draw water from the Stonycreek River for residential use in the early 1970s, said Ken Karashowsky, Hooversville Council president.

A photo of the Stonycreek River, taken at the swinging bridge along Water St. in Hooversville. For about 50 years, the borough drew water from the river as its municipal water source, but now the borough has completed the first part of a two-part project that brings water from the Quemahoning Reservoir into some borough homes through new water lines.

"This is a tremendous boost for Hooversville,” he said. “To get these grants back to back is unbelievable. My wife (Brenda Karashowsky, a former council member) and I have been working on this water project for the last 15 years. This was on my ‘bucket list’ as a council person.

“Now that we’ve taken quantity out of the equation, and quality, we have a whole new water system. It’s wonderful news,” Karashowsky said.

What does the grant cover?

The CDBG grant funding will be used to complete the replacement of water lines in the borough, which began in 2021 under a $4.6-million PennVEST grant. Two new fire hydrants and a new 250,000-gallon water storage tank are also part of the new project.

"It seems like Hooversville is one community that we've always talked about," said Steven Spochart, executive director of the Redevelopment Authority of Somerset County.

Spochart said Hooversville’s system has been a concern since before he started working at the Redevelopment Authority of Somerset County a little more than 16 years ago.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds strengthen Pennsylvania communities by assisting with housing improvements, building suitable living environments, expanding economic opportunities geared to low- and moderate-income individuals, and improving critical community health and welfare infrastructure.

“CDBG grants fund a wide variety of projects that make our communities safer and better places to live, work and prosper,” Siger said. “DCED and the Shapiro Administration are committed to providing this support to communities throughout Pennsylvania.”

Phase I is complete

For the past 50 years, Hooversville has been getting its water from the Stonycreek River, but there were often issues with turbidity and being able to draw enough water from the river during drought conditions, Karashowsky said.

“Because the water quality of the river (kept changing), we had to change our treatment plan continually,” he said.

Where this started: Hooversville takes big step forward on water deal

A CDBG-funded project that was completed in October 2010 extended the Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority’s main water line another two miles south, from the village of Pretoria to Blough. The main line was terminated at the south end of Blough, with the purpose of one day extending water service to Hooversville.

"We left it there, knowing we were going to get there, but it was just a matter of when," Spochart said.

In 2020, Hooversville signed an agreement with the Somerset County General Authority (SCGA) and the Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority (CTMA), whereby the borough now purchases its water from the SCGA’s connection at the Quemahoning Reservoir. The water is delivered to Hooversville’s water system through the CTMA’s lines.

The borough continues to bill its own customers for their water usage, as they did before switching to the new source, Karashowsky said.

A new water source: Water deal approved in Hooversville

In October 2021, Hooversville was awarded a $4,636,000 PennVEST grant to make the connection to the Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority’s main line in Blough. This funding also allowed Hooversville to replace approximately 60% of its distribution system. This is what is referred to as Phase I.

Hooversville Borough now receives its water from the Quemahoning Reservoir, since signing an agreement in 2020 to purchase water from the Somerset County General Authority. The authority purchases water from the Cambria Somerset Authority, which owns the reservoir, and treats it to produce drinkable water that it sells to various municipalities, schools and businesses in the county.

Karashowsky said that first phase of the project has now been completed and is producing great results.

“We found that once we replaced 60% of the water lines, our loss rate dropped by 75%, so that was great,” he said. “We don’t draw from the Stonycreek River at all now; we’re feeding the entire system from the Que, but the last part (of the system) is on the old lines still.”

Because of supply costs, Hooversville was not able to do as much work on Phase I as they were planning, Spochart said.

"It's crazy the cost of materials. They ran into trouble getting the money to replace all of their distribution system," he said.

Phase II plans

"The CDBG $1.8 million is to undertake waterline replacement in the remaining 40% that was not able to be addressed in Phase I, as well as install a new 250,000-gallon water tank," Spochart said. "This is what we are referring to as Phase II."

The Phase II part of the project will install new water lines along Main, Water and Lohr streets, and Maple Avenue; 20 gate valves; a new service line; two new fire hydrants; two blow-off assemblies; 4,000 pounds of ductile iron fittings; and other necessary restoration work. This project also replaces the existing 50-year-old finished water tank with a new 250,000-gallon water tank.

“The engineering has already been done,” Karashowsky said, so the borough just needs to get the necessary permits submitted and approved to get Phase II underway.

“We hope the process goes smoothly,” he said.

Completion of the Hooversville project may also create a “stepping stone” that could one day extend municipal water service to nearby communities in Shade Township, such as Wilbur, he added.

When will Phase II work start?

"We may divide the contract bids into two, one for the distribution lines and the other for the water tank," Spochart said. "We might be able to get the contract out for bid this winter to get on a contractor's list for spring or summer of next year for the start."

Spochart estimates that it will take at least three to four months to complete the construction.

"Perseverance paid off. We're pleased that we were able to get it for Hooversville," Spochart said. "The whole thing is being put together piece by piece. It's 20 years' worth of just trying to get the federal money. That we're able to get this money is great because we're competing against other projects across the state. The downside is it costs so much for the supplies. I'm thankful we got it."

Karashowsky thanked the Redevelopment Authority, state Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar, state Sen. Pat Stefano and everyone involved for their efforts to help Hooversville upgrade its water system.

“This was a big step for us, and it’s all (paid for with) grant money. If we had to make those upgrades ourselves, we’d have looked at higher water rates,” he said.

“Steve (Spochart) and Patty (Adamczyk) were great to work with and they were a tremendous help in getting the project through.

“(Residents) are elated, everyone I’ve talked to has said this is great. Our situation before, we often had water leaks and boil water notices. Our hopes are with the new water lines, we won’t see that situation again,” Karashowsky said.

Garrett still on the list

The Redevelopment Authority also applied for a grant for the Garrett Borough Walker Street Streetscape Project, which is for proposed improvements along Walker Street. That project would include the installation of sidewalks, curbing, pedestrian lighting, road reconstruction and the construction of a crushed limestone trail. That application request was for $1.95 million.

Spochart said he will submit an application for that project again when the next round of applications is due in February.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Hooversville water project receives part of $3.5 million in CDBG funding